Interview with Dollop Gourmet founder and CEO Heather Saffer

Heather Saffer is the founder and CEO of Dollop Gourmet, a natural foods company that produces all-natural healthier gourmet frostings & spreads made from premium non-GMO ingredients. Dollop Gourmet frosting is available in over 600 stores Nationwide.Heather is the winner of season 4 of Food Network’s Cupcake Wars and author of The Dollop Book of Frosting (Adams/F+W Media), Amazon’s #1 Bestseller in the Dessert Baking cookbook category.

Recently seen on ABC’s hit show Shark Tank, Heather walked away with an investment from shark Barbara Corcoran. As a successful entrepreneur and self taught baker, Heather has been featured in Forbes, People Magazine, Huffington Post, Oprah, Women’s World, USA Today, and Sirius XM just to name a few, and has her own monthly dessert segment on Rochester’s Fox affiliate.

1) What is Dollop Gourmet?

Dollop Gourmet is the first healthier and tastier answer to one of the scariest processed foods on the planet: Frosting! With its organic vegan and gluten-free ingredients, and lower sugar count, Dollop Gourmet frosting spread is not only better for you, but it tastes incredible. Not just a frosting though, Dollop Gourmet doubles as a delicious sweet spreadable delight that inspires food adventurists to break the rules and explore how fun healthier eating can be.

2)How did you come up with the idea for it?

I owned a cupcake bakery at the time and was looking for a way to expand my business. Although I owned a bakery, I was really into eating healthier foods with cleaner ingredients. When I would go to the grocery store for supplies it always shocked me to see so many natural foods on store shelves but no natural frostings. The frosting market really hadn’t evolved since its inception and it occurred to me that I could be the one to develop an all-natural healthier frosting thereby changing the frosting industry.

3) How did your experience on Shark Tank and the investment from Barbara Corcoran help your business?

It’s only been less than a month since my Shark Tank appearance but I can say for certain that the exposure has increased sales. More people are aware of Dollop Gourmet than ever before which means that more doors have opened very quickly.

4)What inspired you to go into business?

One thing that truly inspired me to go into business was that I was a terrible employee. If I didn’t quit after a short period of time I got fired. I was always searching for something that I was passionate about and excited to wake up and do each day. When I went into business is when I discovered that feeling.

5) What advice would you give to aspiring entrepreneurs?

The biggest piece of advice I would give to aspiring entrepreneurs who aren’t sure what kind of business they want to start is to try everything. Just keep researching and trying out skills, industries, and ideas until you find that one that lights a fire inside of you. You’ll know it when you find it. The other piece of advice I would give is to never give up as long as you feel impassioned about your business. You will encounter obstacles and failures but if throughout those you feel like the world needs your business, then don’t let anything keep you down.

We would like to thank Heather for speaking with us.

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Jake Slagel is the owner and founder of The Young Businessmen. Since its creation one year ago it has been funded and operated solely by him. Jake is currently running the website along with being a student.
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